Santa Barbara Channelkeeper

Keeping Watch for Clean Water

Monitoring

PFAS: Hiding in Plain Sight

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Hundreds of everyday products, from non-stick cooking pans to stain- and water-resistant clothing, are made today with highly toxic chemicals called per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. These chemicals are known to cause cancer, liver and kidney disease, reproductive issues, immunodeficiencies, and hormonal disruptions and in June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an updated health advisory stating that there are no safe levels of PFAS in drinking water. However, these toxic substances are found in waterways throughout the United States. 

PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they take thousands of years to break down. PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest, these chemicals do not easily degrade, making them biopersistent, or able to remain in organisms indefinitely without breaking down. They are also bioaccumulative, meaning that they build up over time in ever-increasing levels in people, wildlife, and the environment.  

Because of their widespread use, release, and disposal over decades, PFAS are found virtually everywhere: in the atmosphere, the deep ocean, and even the human body. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website says that the agency has found PFAS in the blood of nearly everyone it has tested for them.  

 In the summer of 2022,  the Waterkeeper Alliance and environmental engineering firm, Cyclopure, Inc., launched a monitoring project.  During the months of May, June, and July, 113 Waterkeeper groups tested primary waterways in their jurisdictions. They collected water samples from two locations in their respective waterways, one upstream and one downstream of a potential source of PFAS contamination.  A shocking 83% of these waterways were contaminated, with at least one PFAS compound detected in 95 of the 114 waterways sampled. 

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper participated in the study by collecting and submitting water samples from the Ventura River, both upstream and downstream of the Ojai Valley Sanitation District’s Treatment facility, which discharges effluent into the river just south of Foster Park. Our samples both revealed PFAS contamination, with higher concentrations below the wastewater treatment facility. 

The results of this research project demonstrate just how much more needs to be done to protect the health and safety of communities and ecosystems across the nation. We join the Waterkeeper Alliance in urging Environmental Protection Agency and lawmakers to take action to monitor waterways, clean up existing contamination, adopt standards for eliminating pollution, and enforce those standards. 

Learn more about PFAS and read the full report here: https://waterkeeper.org/pfas/ 

Monitoring Plankton to Protect Wildlife, People, and Ocean Health

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Did you know that one teaspoon of ocean water can contain over a million living creatures called plankton?  These microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) drift with the ocean’s currents and play a fundamental role in many ocean systems. Plankton are tiny yet vital organisms.

Phytoplankton form the base of the ocean food web. Small marine creatures like zooplankton, crustaceans, and small fish eat phytoplankton and are in turn consumed by whales, squid, and larger fish, which become food for top ocean predators like sharks.

Phytoplankton concentration is influenced by several factors, including light availability, temperature, and nutrients.

Phytoplankton produce their own nourishment using the energy of the sun in a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, phytoplankton release oxygen into the water as a byproduct. Scientists estimate that about 50% of the world’s oxygen is produced via phytoplankton photosynthesis.

Phytoplankton are also responsible for most of the transfer of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the ocean. During photosynthesis, they consume carbon dioxide and later release it through respiration or as biomass when they die and sink to the bottom of the ocean.

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Why Monitor Plankton?

Channelkeeper conducts plankton tows to help monitor algal blooms in the Santa Barbara Channel. When environmental conditions in ocean water change, sometimes caused by an overabundance of nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorus from fertilizer runoff, sewage treatment plants, and other land-based sources, phytoplankton populations can grow rapidly. This is called a “bloom.” Some blooms only result in a change of the water’s color (like the coccolithophore bloom that made the ocean look milky blue in Santa Barbara a few years ago), while others can be harmful, depleting oxygen in the water, blocking sunlight, or secreting toxins. Harmful algae blooms, some of which are known as red tides due to their reddish-brown color, can sicken and kill marine wildlife and negatively affect humans who are exposed to them.

While out on our boat conducting MPA Watch surveys, our team collects samples which we send to the California Department of Health. We do this in an effort to better understand harmful algae blooms and to protect both people and wildlife from their effects.

Tiny Creatures Provide Big Insight

Monitoring plankton populations is also key to assessing the health of the marine environment. Around the world, plankton are used as indicators of the health of water due to their short life span and sensitivity to both short-term and long-term environmental changes. Studying plankton helps scientists understand many things about the ocean, such as changes in fish populations, pollution, and climate. Learning about these tiny yet vital creatures can help us better understand important ocean systems and more effectively protect wildlife and the environment.

A Snapshot of the Planktonic Community

A plankton tow is a way to collect a sample of marine microorganisms. This snapshot of the planktonic community reveals what plankton populations are flourishing, any imbalances, and can provide clues about water quality.

From the deck of our boat, the R/V Channelkeeper, our team submerges a fine-meshed net with a jar at one end to collect the plankton sample. We send it down 30 feet in the water column and pull it back up using a rope. This is called a vertical tow (as opposed to pulling the net horizontally through the water). The net is sunk and raised three times. Then, we pour the liquid trapped in the jar into a fresh bottle containing a small amount of preservative. We place the bottles in postmarked boxes and mail them to the California Department of Public Health for lab analysis. These samples are analyzed for toxin-producing species, and they reveal trends in phytoplankton distribution along the coast.

What We Sometimes Find

Diatoms
These microscopic phytoplankton plankton are a food source for zooplankton. Diatoms have cell walls made of silica and many form long chains of cells.

Coccolithophorids
Large blooms of these phytoplankton create milky white areas in the ocean that are visible from space thanks to the calcium carbonate plates that make up their cell walls.

Copepod
Considered the most numerous multicellular animals on earth, these tiny crustaceans are a food source for many other zooplankton and fish.

Krill
These zooplankton are important source of food for many marine mammals and seabirds.  They are an important part of the food web.

Meroplankton
The larvae of many bottom-dwelling invertebrates like crabs, starfish, mussels, clams, and lobsters all begin as larvae in the plankton before they settle on the bottom and become the more familiar adult creatures. These organisms are called meroplankton, because they only spend part of their lives among plankton, as opposed to holoplankton, or organisms that spend their entire lives as plankton. 

Pteropod
These gelatinous zooplankton are relatives of snails. Pteropods feed using a mucous web that they trap food particles with.

Threats to Plankton


Ocean acidification poses a significant threat to phytoplankton. When excess carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion is absorbed by seawater, a series of chemical reactions occur that result in the increased concentration of hydrogen ions. This increase causes seawater to become more acidic and causes carbonate ions to be less abundant. These carbonate ions are essential for calcifying organisms to build and maintain their shells, skeletons, and other structures. Scientists speculate that a more acidic ocean will cause some types of plankton to grow slower and others to grow faster, changing the balance and affecting the food web.

Plankton are also threatened by plastic pollution and microplastics billions of tiny bits of plastic, less than five millimeters in size. Plastics float, block sunlight, and do not degrade. By blocking sunlight, plastics disrupt phytoplankton’s ability to produce energy through photosynthesis, causing them to die off. Zooplankton can also consume microplastics and die from blockages in their digestive tracts. Because they are a primary food source for many marine creatures, when plankton populations diminish, many other species are affected throughout the ocean food web.

Meet MPA Watch Intern, Andrea Chagoya!

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The Santa Barbara Channel includes a network of nineteen marine protected areas, five along the coast and fourteen surrounding the Channel Islands. Marine protected areas (MPAs), are underwater parks that provide safe havens for marine wildlife. Through Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program, staff, volunteers, and interns collect data related to human use activities at eleven of them.

Thanks to volunteers from our MPA Watch program, we’re able to gather data at three Coastal MPAs: Campus Point MPA, Naples MPA, and Kashtayit (Gaviota State Beach) MPA. The insights gained through this community science program provide context for other scientific data being collected to monitor the health of marine ecosystems and the social and economic effects of MPAs.

This year, we are fortunate to have two interns supporting this community science program, thanks in part to a grant award from the UCSB Coastal Fund. MPA Watch interns conduct weekly surveys to ensure consistent coverage of all the coastal MPAs, conduct data entry of volunteer surveys and data quality control checks, assist with volunteer training workshops, and conduct volunteer field training sessions.

Channelkeeper has worked with some incredible UCSB student interns to help support the MPA Watch program over the years. In addition to gaining valuable experience with data collection, data management, and volunteer training, these interns also gain insight into what it’s like to work at a small environmental organization.

We’d like to introduce you to one of our extraordinary interns, Andrea Chagoya.

“Andrea is a wonderful addition to Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program and we are lucky to have her as an MPA Watch intern this year.  She’s dedicated to marine conservation, hardworking, and has even joined us for additional Channelkeeper activities outside of her MPA Watch duties like helping out at our East Side Community Watershed Brigade Cleanup event, ” says Education and Outreach Director, Penny Owens. “We are thrilled to have her on our team.”

We took a moment to talk with her recently and learn more about her interest in the ocean and marine biology.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Mexico, in the bordering city of Tijuana, Baja California until I was 9 years old. My family and I moved to the United States as I was entering my 4th year of elementary school, and there wasn’t a single drop of English on my tongue. All I knew how to say is “Hello, my name is Andrea’ and “yes”. Within a year I knew English. Reading has always been a passion of mine, so by 6th grade I had already read all the Harry Potter books in English, as well as other series. I am interested in aquatic biology, especially marine life. I am currently a 4th year in Aquatic Biology at UCSB. I have worked hands-on with sea turtles in Costa Rica, am an intern for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and will be starting to work at the Sea Center at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Other interests of mine include soccer, reading, Harry Potter, baseball, and hiking.

Why do you believe that Marine Protected Areas are important?

I believe that Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are important because we need to protect marine life as much as we can, and the purpose of MPAs is to do exactly that. Our ocean holds so many important species and ecosystems. Protecting our ocean must be a top priority.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen while conducting an MPA Watch survey?

I once saw a pod of dolphins jumping around the waters of Kashtayit beach where I was conducting the KWEST transect survey with Penny Owens. They were beautiful and it was actually the first time I had ever seen dolphins. The day was so beautiful and warm, the water was so blue and glistening, and the sky was so clear that the sun shone bright in a beautiful way. The dolphins looked majestic jumping and diving in the water together as if dancing. Doing MPA Watch surveys has allowed me to see a lot of beautiful sunsets and views, but I have to say the dolphins were my favorite.

What have you learned?

I have learned a lot during my time being an MPA Watch intern with Channelkeeper. I’ve learned how to input data more efficiently, I have learned what to include in my surveys and the commentary that goes with it, I have learned when people will most likely be on the beach, I have learned how the moon’s cycle affects the tides and the amount of algae in the beach, and most importantly I have learned how relaxing and necessary our beaches are.

What do you appreciate most about the ocean?

The thing I appreciate most about the ocean is that it holds the most diverse life in the world. There are so many different species that are truly fascinating in the ocean that we know of, and so many that we don’t know of. The ocean gives us life, and so much more. To me, the ocean is the essence of planet Earth.

Join Channelkeeper’s virtual MPA Watch Volunteer Training Workshop on Thursday, May 12, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Email [email protected] to sign up.

Watershed Hero: Joy Downing Riley

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Some people see a problem and wonder how others will solve it—but not Joy Downing Riley. When she noticed that litter was impacting marine life along one of her favorite coastal areas—the Rincon Parkway—she leaped into action, not only by picking up trash herself but by addressing the issue at its upstream source.

Joy believes in the power of individual action to create positive change and over the years she’s served the community in a variety of volunteer roles. Until last spring, she volunteered as a literacy coach. But when the pandemic made it too risky to meet in person, she looked for other ways to give back and joined Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade to help remove trash from public places. In the past nine months, she’s become a star volunteer—and a true Watershed Hero.

The Rincon Parkway, the stretch of beach along the Pacific Coast Highway between Emma Wood State Beach and Mussel Shoals, is a special place to Joy. It’s a vantage point from which she enjoys watching wildlife while taking in the island views and the ever-changing light. She appreciates that the Parkway is accessible to all and loves seeing the happiness on people’s faces–from fishermen and surfers to families.

When stay-at-home orders went in to place in March of 2020 and people looked to outdoor areas for recreation, Joy noticed an increase in the use of this area and observed more trash along the road making its way to the beach. She felt it was important to be out there cleaning the area, educating the community, and doing something positive.

Her experience locating and assessing stranded California sea lions and seals as a volunteer for Channel Island Marine and Wildlife Institute has provided her with firsthand insight into the trash eco-system while also fostering a sense of personal responsibility for the marine life. She has observed the impact that our trash and human street waste have on sensitive areas along the coast as the flow of stormwater runoff carries litter to the ocean and notes the direct connection between the health of wildlife and humans.

“Sea lions are important to study. They are sentinel mammals, and their health can be indicative of a number of environmental concerns,” she explains. “The trash we tend drop on the ground or let blow from trash cans, ends up in our roadsides, culverts, barrancas, and eventually in the ocean. Our degrading debris is toxic to wildlife.”

During her time clearing trash and debris from the Parkway, she’s seen beer bottles strewn by visitors, she’s watched dump trucks unload heaps of dirt, people change their oil, discard Styrofoam to-go food containers, diapers, dog waste, tangled fishing line, and cigarette butts (she once collected 150 in a ¼ mile radius), but she believes that when people know better, they do better.

Beyond cleaning litter from the coastal roadway and beach areas, Joy has taken measures to address litter at the source by educating the public and connecting with companies and public agencies to ask for their help. She talks with people and shares her passion for keeping trash out of waterways and habitats clean.

“My sense is that if people had a better understanding of ecosystems—and the flow of trash to the sea—that they would be more cautious about litter.”

While doing clean-ups in the neighborhood near Telegraph Road and Ventura College, she regularly noticed 10-12 Starbucks cups in the storm drains on her mile and a half route. In Ventura and Santa Barbara open storm drains flow straight to the ocean. So, she made an appointment to talk with the Starbucks manager and together they outlined a strategy to keep cups out of the stormwater system. Their initiatives included new signs reminding customers to dispose of their trash responsibly. She was also able to voice her concerns to the regional Starbucks manager and open a dialogue with local city officials about more expansive litter-prevention actions they could take.

Joy’s enthusiasm is infectious and her presence along this special stretch of roadway has not only shown people that she cares deeply about the Rincon Parkway, it has inspired others to join in.

“It’s as if my presence there—seeing me in my gloves and mask picking up trash has given people permission to go out there and do something positive too. That feels good.”

Joy is living proof of the power of citizen action. By doing regular clean-ups, meeting with store managers and City agencies, and launching an educational campaign to increase public awareness of the path trash takes through storm drains and creeks to the ocean, she has contributed to a community-wide movement and has empowered others to take steps toward creating change.

We are profoundly grateful.

Science Supports Our Clean Water Work

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Data can provide powerful insights to support environmental change. Channelkeeper regularly collects data related to the composition, quality, and availability of our water resources. Our team uses this data to measure critical threats facing our waters, to support decision-makers in their efforts to protect local waterways, and to raise community awareness and involvement in protecting our water resources. This science-based approach is one that helps us keep local waters clean and that also distinguishes us as a data-driven water quality organization.

Since 2001, Channelkeeper has leveraged citizen science to monitor water quality in local watersheds. Our flagship volunteer monitoring program, Stream Team, is one of the longest running and largest citizen water quality monitoring programs in the State. Stream Team collects baseline water quality data every month at up to 43 sites in our region. Over 1,400 community volunteers have participated in the Stream Team program, all trained to follow State approved quality control protocols. Stream Team data is uploaded to the State’s California Environmental Data Exchange Network. The data has been used as lines of evidence to support multiple listings on the State’s 303(d) Impaired Water Bodies List as well as to support development of Total Maximum Daily Load programs in several local watersheds. Regulatory agencies regularly utilize the data we collect to inform and prioritize their pollution prevention and restoration efforts.

Technological innovations in the field of water quality monitoring have enhanced Channelkeeper’s ability to monitor local watersheds. Specifically, we’ve integrated the use of deployable sensors and data loggers to collect continuous data for various applications. In the Ventura River watershed, Channelkeeper deploys dissolved oxygen data loggers each summer to monitor the water quality effects of algae growth and diminished stream flow. This data was recently used in an evaluation of minimum flow thresholds necessary to preserve water quality for endangered steelhead trout.

We also use deployable data logging devices, such as pressure transducers and conductivity sensors, to document and track illicit discharges emanating from the municipal storm drain system. In 2012, this technique helped us monitor the daily, illegal discharge of industrial brine waste into a local watershed in the City of Goleta. This discovery led to intervention of local and state authorities and the eventual elimination of the pollution source.

In the aftermath of the Plains All American oil spill in 2015, the existence of natural oil seeps that regularly oil beaches off the Santa Barbara coastline led to uncertainty regarding the source of oil on fouled beaches. We launched our Tar Ball Monitoring Program to establish a quantitative baseline dataset of natural oil seep fouling that resource agencies could utilize in the future when evaluating both whether to mobilize clean-up efforts and what appropriate clean-up endpoints should be. To develop this baseline, we conduct quarterly surveys of 14 local beaches along the coastline and document the extent, magnitude, and frequency of natural oiling.

Channelkeeper also helps other agencies gather data. Aboard the RV-Channelkeeper, our 31-foot research vessel, our team has assisted the Department of Public Health with biotoxin monitoring, the Department of Fish and Wildlife with Marine Protected Area compliance monitoring, and University of California Santa Barbara researchers with everything from ocean acidification monitoring, biological surveys, and e-DNA sampling of eelgrass beds.

Data collection and scientific research is integral to Channelkeeper’s efforts to protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds. This has helped us successfully champion stronger policies that better protect our water resources, clean up pollution hot spots, educate our community, and stop illegal discharges into the Santa Barbara Channel and its tributaries. It’s allowed us to better serve our community by supporting our environmental advocacy with quantitative measurements and has informed every aspect of our clean water work.

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